Desk



Oct. 9, 1934. R |L 1,976,081

DESK

Filed Dec. 7, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm sww a portion thereof Patented Oct. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT orr cs to American Seating C ompany, Grand Rapids,

Mich, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 7, 1933, Serial No. 701,273

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to desks and more particularly to school desks.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a desk particularly adapted for use in the school room; to provide a school desk whose top is tiltable to form an easel; and, to provide such a school desk whose top may be adjustably tilted and maintained in a predetermined angular position.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the desk showing the top in an adjusted predetermined tilted position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the desk, the desk top being shown in its non-tilted position and with a portion thereof being broken away to better show the manually controlled desk top adjusting means;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view thereof;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the desk top hinge construction and operating mechanism for frictionally maintaining the desk top in a predetermined tilted position, being broken away to better show the operating means;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on line ure 4.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts of the structure are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the desk here shown as of the school type comprises the conventional box in which school books and the like may be kept by the pupil. The box is provided with a forward top section 1 of wood having a groove 2 for pencils, pens and the like and from which forward section depends a pair of oppositely disposed vertical side portions 3, 4 rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner, a vertically disposed rear portion 5 and a horizontally disposed bottom portion 6, both rigidly secured to the oppositely disposed vertical side portions in any conventional manner and as best shown 1n Figure 1. The side, rear and bottom portions are preferably of stamped sheet metal and the box thus illustrated and described may be supported 5 on conventional spaced vertical standards or upon a pedestal of the conventional type, not shown.

Each of the depending side portions 3, 4 are provided with a flange 7 turned inwardly toward 6-6 of Fi I each other for supporting a tiltable desk top section 8 and each flange is provided with an elongated slot 9 running longitudinally thereof.

A stamped sheet metal cupped plate 10 having a wing portion 11 extending vertically and outwardly through the slot 9 is provided with flanged marginal edges 12 which abut the inner side of each depending side 3, 4 and are secured to the under sides of the flanges '7 in any suitable manner as by spot welding to form a housing for a portion of the operating mechanism for the 66 tiltable desk top.

The tiltable desk top section 8 is provided with a pair of spaced oppositely disposed and depending segmental metal webs 13 respectively passing through the slots 9, each web being respectively pivotally secured to a wing portion 11 as by the pintle 14. v

A clamp element 15 here shown as in the form of a bar is disposed within each housing between the inner side of the side portions 3, 4 of the box and the web 13 therein. Each of these clamp elements is disposed substantially horizontally in parallelism with the side portions 3, 4 of the box and pass through an enlarged aperture 16 in the flanged edge 12 of the cupped plate 10 permitting a lateral swinging movement of each clamp element. The free end of each clamp element is provided with an aperture 1'7, and apertures 18 in cupped plates 10 and apertures 19 in the side portions 3, 4 are in registration with the apertures 17 of the clamp elements, all as best shown in Figure 6.

A sleeve 20 is interjacent the outer walls of the oppositely disposed cupped plates 10 and in registration with the several sets of apertures 17, 18 and 19 and an operating rod 21 is slid through the sleeve until its head 22 abuts the clamp element 15 and its other end projects exteriorly of the box, all as shown in Figure 6. A shorter sleeve 23 through which the rod likewise passes is disposed between one of the clamp elements and the manually turnable wing nut 24 turnable on the screw threaded projecting end of the operating rod.

Each clamp element is preferably provided 0 with a friction disc 25 on its inner side to which it is secured in any suitable manner and the inner surface of each cupped plate is preferably provided with a similar friction disc 26 likewise secured in any desired manner. The pairs of discs 25, 26 are each disposed on opposite sides of each of the respective segmental webs.

In operation and in instances wherein it is desired to adjustably maintain the desk top in a predetermined tilted position, the top is tilted to the desired angle and the wing nut is manually turned until it is tight. In the turning movement of the wing nut the clamp elements are laterally and simultaneously swung toward each other to thus frictionally engage with the oppositely disposed segmental webs and the desk top is thus maintained in adjusted tilted position to form an easel and at an angle as may be predetermined. In instances wherein it is desired to use the desk for Writing purposes and the like, reverselyturn ing of the wing nut releases the frictional engagement above described and the desk top is permitted to drop.

It will thus be seen that desks of the character herein illustrated and described may beadjustably maintained in a given or predetermined tilted position to form an easel and without the use of the conventional prop.

While but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, a desk top support having a pair of oppositely disposed depending side portions, a desk top having a pair of spaced oppositely disposed depending segmental Webs respectively pivotally secured to the depending side portions adapting the desk top to be tilted relatively to its support, a clamp for each web, and manually controlled means operatively connected with each clamp to simultaneously effect frictional'engagement of each web by its clamp for adjustably maintaining the desk top in a predetermined tilted position.

2. In a structure of the class described, a desk top support having a pair of oppositely disposed depending side portions each having-a pocket adjacent its inner side, a desk top having a pair of spaced oppositely disposed depending segmentilted position.

tal webs within the pockets and respectively pivotally secured to the depending side portions adapting the desk top to be tilted relatively to its support, a clamp within each pocket for each Web, and manually controlled means interposed between and operatively connected with each clamp to effect simultaneous frictional engagement of each web by its clamp for adjustably maintaining the desk top in a predetermined 3. In a structure of the class described, a desk top support having a pair of oppositely disposed depending side portions each having a pocket adjacent its inner side, a desk top having a pair of spaced oppositely disposed depending segmental Webs within the pockets and respectively pivotally secured to the depending side portions adapting the desk top to be tilted relatively to its support, a clamp within each pocket for each web, an operating rod operatively connected with each clamp to effect simultaneous frictional engagement of each web by its clamp, and means for operating said rod whereby the desk top may be adjustably maintained in a predetermined tilted position.

4. Ina structure of the class described, a desk top support having a pair of oppositely disposed depending side portions each having a pocket adjacent its inner side, a desk top having a pair of spaced oppositely disposed depending segmental webs Within the pockets and respectively pivotally secured to the depending side portions adapting the desk top to be tilted relatively to its support, a clamp disposed on opposite sides of each Web and Within each pocket, an operating 7119 rod interposed between and operatively connected with each clamp extending through one of the depending side portions of the desk top support, and exterior manually controlled means for operating said rod whereby the desk top may be adjustably n maintained in a predetermined tilted position.

RALPH K. MERRILL. 

